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Revelation 13
By Adam Bartlett
1: And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2: And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
The items mentioned in this chapter are much like the parables in Matthew 13 where Jesus later in the same chapter explained their meanings. Here the descriptions are given and they are for the most part explained in chapter 17. There are two beasts mentioned in this chapter and they carry two different characteristics. The first mentioned in this verse and described through verse 10 refers to the antichrist. He will be a political ruler and thrives on ruling the world and will bring a false peace for the first 3 ½ years. This is the one that Jesus warned of in John 5:43. There are other scriptures that speak of the antichrist and give details that correlate to what we see here: Daniel chapters 7&9, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9. I want to show a comparison of the descriptions between Daniel and this of Revelation and then give some explanations regarding them.
| Daniel's Fourth Beast |
Revelation's Beast |
| Comes up out of the sea - 7:3 |
Comes up out of the sea - 13:1 |
| Seven Heads - 7:4-7 |
Seven Heads - 13:1 |
| Ten horns = ten kings - 7:7, 24 |
Ten horns = ten kings - 13:1 & 17:12 |
| Another horn becomes a dominant ruler - 7:24-26 |
Beast becomes dominant ruler - 17:12-13 |
| Each characteristic of the beasts described, lion, bear, leopard - 7:4-6 |
Like a leopard - 13:2
Feet of a bear - 13:2
Mouth of a lion - 13:2 |
| Speaks blatantly against God - 7:25 |
Speaks blatantly against God - 13:5-6 |
| Persecutes the saints - 7:21&25 |
Persecutes the saints - 11:7 & 13:7 |
| His power is limited to 3 ½ years - 7:25 |
His power is limited to 3 ½ years - 13:5 |
| Will be defeated by God - 7:21-22; 26-27 |
Will be defeated by God - 19:11 - 20:6 |
The Sea
There are many symbols in the particular prophecies concerning the end time and the tribulation period. However we should be careful in claiming that all symbols are mysteries unless we cannot find scripture that would support that claim. I believe that the "sea" being spoken of here is representative of humanity and the whole world in general as Rev. 17:15 agrees.
The Seven Heads
There is some controversy as to what these seven heads actually represent. Some believe that they refer to Rome since it was built on "seven hills" and that the antichrist will come out of the revived Roman Empire. They also use the argument that Rev. 17 agrees with this. I will not dispute that but I want to look at something different here. The world is made up of seven major continents and since we know that this beast will at one point control the whole world and that is his focus it would make sense that it is speaking of "totality." Rev. 17:9 states that these seven heads represent mountains which again could be speaking of the seven geographical regions or continents. It also states in Rev. 17:10 that it is speaking of seven kings also. Some argue that because it says "mountains" that it is undoubtedly speaking of the city on seven hills or Rome. There is also another scenario that has much credibility because of its scriptural reference. In Daniel 7 the four beasts that are listed are (in my opinion) obviously the same as spoken of here. Only one beast is spoken of as having four heads and that is the leopard which represents the Greek Empire, Daniel 7:6. With the other three beasts having one head each that equals "seven" heads. The reason for the four heads is because after Alexander died his generals divided the land into four regions in which it stayed until the Roman Empire.
At the times of each of these Empires they were considered to be the rulers of the world at that time. So again, it agrees with the thought that these seven heads represent the leadership of the seven continents, thus the world.
The Ten Horns/Crowns
The ten horns represent kings and their kingdoms according to Daniel 7:24 and Rev. 17:12. Daniel indicates that the fourth beast he is describing is the "revived" Roman Empire by its description in Daniel 7:23-27. At this point in time there will be some sort of confederation of ten rulers or kings whose empires follow. Rev. 17:12-13 indicates that these ten do not have kingdoms until they pledge their allegiance to the beast. They apparently all agree to give their total corporation to the beast along with their loyalty. Some also believe that these ten are completely comprised of the European countries and therefore see the present unification of Europe under the Euro as a precursor to this very event.
It is evident by the descriptions of the horns, crowns and the seven heads that it is speaking of leaders and leadership. This is some type of conglomeration of power which is completely controlled by the devil during this time period.
Here in Rev. 13:1 and Daniel 7:7&24 these ten kings or leaders are portrayed as horns but in Daniel 2:41-44 they are portrayed as toes in Nebuchadnezzar's dream and also said to be kings. It is Christ that will strike these 'toes' when He returns and defeats all the armies that have gathered to fight against Him.
Names of Blasphemy
It says that "upon his heads the name of blasphemy." Since I believe that his seven heads represented totality or world control it would therefore demonstrate that the whole world at this time will turn against God. Since satan copies everything that God does it makes sense that he will mark his followers as he does later in this chapter. God marked his chosen 144,000 in chapter 7:1-3 and we see that satan will mark the leaders of his kingdom also. That these leaders have names on their heads indicates their complete loyalty to the beast. That these names are "blasphemy" only indicate what we already know; that being that the whole world will turn against God and any of His followers during this time.
The Leopard, Bear and Lion
The three animals listed in verse 2 are the same as those in Daniel's four beast in Daniel chapter 7. A lion representing Babylon, the bear representing Media-Persia, and the leopard representing Greece. The fourth unnamed beast in Daniel 7:7 refers to the antichrist and his power as great teeth of iron which also correlates to this beast in this verse and also refers to the Roman Empire. The reason for the difference in the order in which these animals are seen is because Daniel was looking forward into the future and John was looking backwards into the past.
This beast as compared with the beast of Daniel 7 shows the characteristics of the power that is possessed by him. It has the Babylonian "mouth of a lion" - a lust to consume its victims with great power. It has Persian "feet as a bear" - large armies able to crush rebellions. It has a Greek "body of a leopard" - indicating its swiftness and agility of military mobility and speed to strike. The fourth beast mentioned in 7:7 speaks of the antichrist but also is representative of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was said to be a combination of all of the previous empires with all its characteristics. This beast will have all of these qualities that were possessed by these previous dynasties because he will have the whole world and its armies at his beckoning.
The Power
The power comes from the "dragon" which shows that satan is in control of these beasts and leaders. As with the demons they are all at his beckoning call and do not realize that this power is an empty illusion and will be revealed as just that when Christ destroys them with the brightness of His coming. Satan is only concerned with two things; he wants complete control and he wants to turn everyone possible against God. He cannot and will not keep a promise and nothing he gives, including power is permanent, but only a way to deceive until his purpose is accomplished. Once he achieves his goal he will discard these like they are nothing.
3: And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4: And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is like unto the beast?Who is able to make war with him?
One of "his heads" is wounded to death and then somehow healed. Whatever happens it amazes the whole world and must have been something John thought important also because he mentioned it three times here and verses 12&14. In verse 14 he specifies that it was done with a sword. I have heard all my life that this meant that the beast was killed and then resurrected to imitate how that Jesus resurrected.
This could very well be what it means and now with cloning as advanced as it is, it could be very likely that it could be the method used to make this resurrection seem to happen. It could be that this was an assassination attempt on him and he uses a clone to give the appearance of resurrection. The reason I say this is because only God has the power to bring life back. Obviously God could grant him power in this instance to accomplish this prophecy but cloning seems to be more in line with the way the enemy works and his deception.
There is also another thought that I believe holds much weight. Since the seven heads, in my opinion represent world power or leaders could this "head" that is wounded be a geographic region rather than a person? If so could this be Russia being destroyed in what is described in Ezekiel 38&39 also known as Gog and Magog? Obviously if it is a country, that country itself would not resurrect but it could indicate that he finds a way to show his continual power even in the face of one of his controlled alliances being destroyed.
Whatever happens, it is so magnificent in the eyes of the world that they "worship" the dragon. This is exactly what satan has desired from the beginning and now is able to achieve it. It so impresses the masses that they exclaim that he is unstoppable as they adore him for this feat. This is how the enemy gains the world's favor and convinces them that he can defeat God. It is with this same type of deception that he lured one third of the angels to follow him out of heaven. That is something to me that is unimaginable.
He already deceived the world with his false peace and now once he gains their undying loyalty he will turn on them too.
5: And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6: And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
This is a defining point in the Revelation and the Tribulation. We are given the time frame here that at this point the antichrist will receive his power at this time and it will continue for forty two months or three and one half years. In Daniel 9:27 it speaks of this time and clearly says that in the midst of the treaty (tribulation) that he will break his covenant in this fashion. This is also referenced in Daniel 7:25 and Rev. 11:2, 12:6&14, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and I also believe that this is what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 24:15&21. It is obvious that the tribulation is split into two time frames and the later being the time of unparalleled calamities and sorrow.
7: And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8: And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
This verse agrees with the same description given by Daniel in 7:21&25 and according to vs. 25 he has this power over the saints for 3 ½ years. In Matthew 24:21-22 Jesus also warns that this time will be so bad that if He didn't cut it short that "no flesh would be saved." This is not a time when the Jabez prayer will deliver you; it is not a time when any of the gimmicks that are in the churches today will be effective. In fact, at this time it is the complete complacency and error in most churches that will hand you over to be slain at this time. Why? Because they are too concerned with building numbers instead of building people that will be able to stand against the enemy.
Nothing can replace true spiritual maturity and power which will not be found in most churches today because it requires time on knees and in the Word. It says in vs. 8 that "all" will worship the beast that are not in the book of life which is what it says in 2 Thessalonians 2: 10-12. This is much easier for people in third world countries to believe and understand than for those in America. We have been spoiled in this country and have little knowledge of what it means to pay a price for our faith.
The lines are being drawn in the sand even now and they will become more distinct each passing day. At the forefront of this ungodly assault on morality and anything considered Christian is the homosexual movement. On the spiritual side is the Islam movement across the globe and their infiltration into every country with their spiritual poison. It is clear to see how the enemy is enlarging his armies through these avenues.
9: If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10: He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Who will "hear?" This is the same message Jesus gave to each of the seven churches in chapters 2&3 and also in many of the parables. It is those that have "spiritual" ears that will hear; those that are hungry for the truth and know where it can be found by being grounded in the Word and spending time in prayer. It is a universal warning and He desires all to listen because He desires that all be saved.
Unfortunately the "religious" will not hear the warnings just as the Jewish leaders of the day when He walked the earth. Religion is a cancer in the "church" that blinds its followers to true relationship. "Religion" is a product of the enemy to accomplish exactly what it has; a group of lukewarm individuals that really believe they are in the right spiritual condition.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 says that "they loved not the truth that they might be saved." There are many that love not the truth but only what recognition they can gain from their "own" merits and scholarly achievements. They are just as Jesus described in Matthew 23, loving the accolades more than seeking the truth. This unfortunately describes the majority of ministers in churches in this country today.
We are then given the best comfort that can be given considering the circumstances that they will all receive what they deserve when the time comes.
11: And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
This is the second beast and he represents the religious leader of this time (also known as the false prophet according to 19:20) and will direct world worship to the antichrist. To achieve world worship he needs to unite all faiths and extinguish the singularity of Christianity. He will force all to worship him or die.
It is interesting how that satan tries to imitate God in every way and now we see how he is trying to achieve this. The Dragon or satan represents God and the antichrist representing the Son - he dies and is raised again. The false prophet representing the Holy Spirit - he causes all to worship the antichrist just as the Holy Spirit directs all to Jesus. This is the enemy's version of triune deity.
The "horns" previously represented power of some sort so it seems to indicate that this "false prophet" will somehow control the religious system of the world. It also says that he will have the appearance of a lamb which means that he will exhibit genuine concern for humanity and try to be Christ like. The fact that he speaks as a dragon though reveals his real intentions. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 show us that this is nothing new for the enemy to deceive by appearance and action.
It is also very interesting how that he comes up out of the earth where the other beast came up from the sea. I have not seen much on this distinction in commentaries and nothing I have seen seems to make much sense. I do have my own thoughts on this however. It seems to me that since the "seas" represented people that the "earth" would encompass all that relates to humanity.
It would mean the institutions, economy, government, religious and all facets pertaining to the normal life of man while on earth. This false prophet comes out from this area which would indicate that he has worked his way through each entity. It is easy to see how that he has corrupted each area of life as we know it and in the process placed his mark on each of these areas.
That is why it is no surprise when he arrives on the scene and these avenues have already been familiar with him and his presence.
12: And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13: And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14: And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
We see that satan gives this false prophet the same power as the antichrist but we see that his purpose is to cause all to worship the antichrist and not himself. That is what a religious leader would do and that is the reason behind the thinking that this false prophet is some type of world religious leader at this time.
He also produces miraculous signs which deceive the world and will cause them to follow the antichrist. Again, this is nothing more than a copy cat to the two witnesses that appeared in chapter 11. This agrees with 2 Thessalonians 2:11 and also what Jesus warned of in Matthew 24:24. We must not forget what Pharaoh's magicians did when Moses' staff turned into a snake and they did the same. God does allow satan and his imps to have a certain amount of power but it is all fueled by deception.
The false prophet then calls for the building of an image of the antichrist. Much like what we remember in Daniel when Nebuchadnezzar had an image built and forced all to bow to it. We also know that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to it and were thrown into the fiery furnace. That is the same type of fortitude and faith we will have to display during this time. What is sad is how many Christians do we know of today that possess this type of faith?
Whether or not this is an actual image will not be known until that time but one thing is for sure, it will mark the beginning of forced worship and death if you refuse.
You see, all the quick fixes will not get you through this trial and persecution. The Jabez prayers, the name it claim it, the Bible codes, theophostics, or any of the many other gimmicks will work. Only a true committed heart dedicated to God through sincere methods will accomplish the faith needed during this time of tribulation on the saints.
15: And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16: And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18: Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
At this point the true heart of the enemy surfaces and that is the evil and hatred which is revealed publicly and arrogantly from this time on. As mentioned before, whether or not this is an actual image made of some material matter is not known. It could be as I believe that because it is a "clone" that it is considered an "image" of the original. Regardless, whatever it is will be done through the basis of deception and will further cause those already blinded to be even more persuaded.
All will be forced to receive a "mark" and this is also something that is much debated as to what it will actually be. Some believe it will actually include the numbers 666 because of what is indicated in vs. 18. I personally do not believe that it what is meant.
I believe it will be some type of computer generated chip much like the "veri-chips" already being used by veterinarians in pets. It is a chip about the size of a grain of rice that can hold all the information needed for each person. It can also be scanned by any hand held scanner like those in grocery stores.
This makes much more sense because of the time we are in and the necessity of the enemy to be able to track every person on the earth. We know that computers are able to accomplish this task and when this "mark" or chip becomes a requirement then you will not be able to escape.
Why the number "666" in my opinion is fairly simple. Since man was created on the sixth day, six is the number of man. Creation was made for man and was put under his control and care and therefore it would make since to have "his" number stamped on him. We know that numbers play an important part in the Bible and in the sequence of events throughout history. Seven is called God's perfect number representing completeness and therefore man is one short of that and therefore settles for six. Seven is also the number representing "rest" as God rested on the seventh day. There is no rest that can be offered in man or his kingdom.
All attempts at knowing what this mark will be are just guesses and we will not know until that time comes. One thing we do know is that there will be some type of identification required to distinguish the followers of satan. It is also clear that anyone without this mark will be killed for refusing to worship him. What a contrast to what God offers now. Worship Him now freely and receive eternal life with him in Paradise, to the contrary worship satan by being forced and live with him eternally in a lake of fire!
Why the option of receiving the mark in the forehead or the hand? I believe it is because there will be some that are boldly serving the enemy and want it in their forehead so that they can bow to the scanners, thus in effect bowing to him. Others are not so bold so they want it in the hand so they can discreetly show their allegiance to him. Much like Christians today; some want the world to know they serve Him, while others are more personal about it. It is not saying that either way is better than the other, both are needed and both still serve the same Master. It is the ones that say they follow Him but you can not tell by their actions or life. They are the ones that are fooling themselves and will find out in the end that it was not a game.
Unfortunately there are too many like the last ones mentioned and they are the ones that I believe will be deceived and follow the enemy in the end. If they cannot serve God now when it costs them nothing, how can they ever believe they will stand with Him when it costs personal persecution and their life?
There are many lukewarm in the world and most especially in this country that are in for a rude awakening and I pray that they wake up before it is too late. We need to be out warning with loud voices to those that are walking the fence because time is short. I don't think that there are any true Christians that want to see anyone they know fall prey to the beast and his empire. We must warn them while it is yet day, for the night cometh when we will not be able to. Believe me people the Sun Is Setting NOW!
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